GPSNR Celebrates a Landmark Year and Strengthens Collective Commitment at 7th General Assembly

All GPSNR working groups have a large chunk of work ahead of them. Here are all their updates: 

Strategy and Objectives Working Group

After completing the intensive task of publishing the Theory of Change, the strategy and objectives group is working on developing its own next steps based on this Theory of Change. In the same spirit, the group has also updated its own Terms of Reference and membership. It is now focused on developing the RFP for the Economic Risk Study, which will be published soon. Currently, they are developing GPSNR’s approach to managing and evaluating risk (commonly known as the risk-based approach in meetings!). 

Smallholder Representation Working Group

Apart from initiating outreach to smallholders with a view to organise onboarding workshops in countries such as Liberia, Ghana, Malaysia and Colombia, the group is focussed on its newly formed task force to develop the GPSNR Smallholders Policy Framework. The first meeting of this task force will be in March 2022. The group is also preparing for the first Smallholders International Call of the year in March 2022.

Policy Toolbox Working Group

This group has already recruited new members for three of its subgroups: Transparent reporting roadmap, Implementation Guidance and RR Guidance & Tools. In the coming months, they will be developing guidance for the reporting requirements and a transparency reporting roadmap before the reporting cycle begins in the middle of 2022. 

At the same time, the group continues to refine a major part of the assurance model: the Implementation Guidance, which it aims to have ready before the General Assembly of 2022. Additionally, this group is busy finalising the compliance panel’s operational guidance.

Capacity Building Working Group

As we begin a year of implementation in Thailand, this group is working on reviewing and finalising strategy and approach for Capacity Building in Thailand, including the integration with Agroforestry Task Force workstream based on discussions with the Rubber Authority of Thailand on 24 February 2022.

The working group is also continuing to develop and implement capacity building plans for Indonesia and Ivory Coast, and will soon appoint service providers for GAP Coaching in Indonesia

Traceability and Transparency Working Group

Having received members’ input on the traceability guidance, representatives from the working group are now finalizing the benchmark based on the feedback.

Shared Responsibility Working Group

The Shared Responsibility working group has completed the first draft of the Shared Responsibility (SR) framework, and has presented the same to the Executive Committee. The consultant is now working on incorporating feedback from the Executive Committee into this draft.

Singapore, 23 September 2020: On Wednesday, members of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) convened the annual General Assembly, which saw the approval of a members’ sustainability policy framework and the creation of a new membership category for smallholder producers of natural rubber.

The newly approved policy framework will help GPSNR member companies, who account for almost 50% of global natural rubber volume, to establish or update strong supply chain sustainability commitments through their natural rubber purchasing policies, on all aspects of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social. Modeled around the Platform’s 12 Principles of Sustainable Natural Rubber, the new policy framework sets out eight overarching themes that include commitments to legal compliance, community livelihoods, healthy, functioning ecosystems (including no deforestation), and respecting all human rights.

“This is a tremendous milestone for the Platform and for the natural rubber industry. In just under two years, GPSNR members developed and approved concrete policy commitments for companies to integrate into their sustainable natural rubber policies. Today, and despite the challenges we all faced during this global pandemic, GPSNR members send a signal to the world about their commitment to achieving a fair, equitable and environmentally sound future” said GPSNR Director Stefano Savi.

Around 85% of the world’s natural rubber is produced by smallholders. In order to transform a sector that is primarily reliant on smallholder producers, GPSNR is embracing smallholder inclusivity and a concept of shared responsibility through the establishment of a Shared Responsibility Working Group, which will identify how the responsibilities and costs of implementation can be equitably distributed across all stakeholder categories, with the understanding that smallholders should not carry the burden of a higher cost to implement sustainability activities in complying with the policy or implementation guidance to be developed.

“Smallholders are a crucial link in the natural rubber value chain, and they have a key role to play in driving awareness on-the-ground and setting the global agenda for sustainable natural rubber” remarked Director Savi.

This year, GPSNR welcomed 28 smallholder members from seven rubber-producing countries. These smallholders now constitute a newly approved standalone category and play an equal role in decision-making within GPSNR alongside the other four categories: producers, processors, and traders; tire manufacturers and other natural rubber makers/buyers; car manufacturers, other downstream users and financial institutions; and civil society.

GPSNR’s virtual General Assembly drew more than 120 attendees, including members of the Platform, partners and invited guests. In addition to voting on resolutions, GPSNR members also elected representatives to the 2020-2021 Executive Committee, which comprises representatives from each of the membership categories. And for the first time, three newly elected smallholder producers with diverse geographical backgrounds will participate in Executive Committee discussions and decision-making.